1 So stand firm in the Lord, my dear friends who mean so much to me, who make me so happy! To me you are my crowning achievement! I truly love you and long to see you! 2 Euodia and Syntyche—I urge you to resolve your differences with each other and agree in the Lord. 3 In fact, my faithful fellow-worker, let me ask you to help these women, for they worked together with me to spread the good news—as well as Clement and my other co-workers, whose names are recorded in the book of life. 4 Always be happy in the Lord—I repeat, Be happy! 5 Everyone should know about your kindness. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don't worry about anything, but take everything to God in prayer, explaining your requests to him and thanking him for all he does. 7 Then the peace that comes from God, which is better than we can ever imagine, will protect your thoughts and attitudes in Christ Jesus. 8 Lastly, whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, beautiful, commendable, whatever is truly good and deserves to be praised, think about these kinds of things. 9 Put into practice what you learned and received from me, what you saw me doing and heard me say. Then the God of peace will be with you. 10 I'm so happy in the Lord that you've at last thought about me again—realizing that you were concerned about me before but you couldn't do anything about it. 11 I'm not talking about my own needs, because I've already learned to be satisfied in whatever situation I find myself. 12 I'm used to having nothing, and I've experienced having plenty too. In every possible situation I've learned the secret of dealing with having plenty and going hungry, of being rich and of living in poverty: 13 I can do anything through him who makes me strong! 14 Even so it was good of you to share with me during my troubles. 15 You Philippians remember that right at the beginning of sharing the good news, when I left Macedonia, that yours was the only church that helped me financially. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you helped me out not once but twice. 17 Not that I'm looking for a donation—I'm looking for your “account” to increase in “profit.” 18 For I have everything, more than I need! I'm thankful to receive from Epaphroditus the things you sent. They're like a sweet-smelling sacrifice that pleases God and that he approves of. 19 My God will fill you with everything you need in accordance with his glorious wealth in Christ Jesus! 20 Glory be to God the Father, forever and ever. Amen. 21 Greet every fellow-believer in Christ Jesus. The Christian brothers and sisters with me send their greetings. 22 All the believers send you greetings, especially those from Caesar's palace. 23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.
Philippians · Free Bible Version
Philippians 4 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Clement
Named by Paul as a coworker whose name is in the book of life.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 4:3
Epaphroditus
Paul's brother, coworker, and fellow soldier whom the Philippians sent with a gift; he nearly died of illness.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 2:25; Philippians 4:18
Euodia
A woman at Philippi who had labored with Paul in the gospel; Paul urges her to be of one mind with Syntyche.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 4:2
Syntyche
A woman at Philippi who had labored with Paul in the gospel; Paul urges her to be of one mind with Euodia.
Cited in the guide: Philippians 4:2
Cross references (23)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Philippians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Psalm 27:14; Philippians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 15:58
- 2 Hebrews 12:14; 1 Corinthians 1:10; Mark 9:50; 1 Peter 3:8–11; Philippians 2:2–3
- 3 Revelation 3:5; Luke 10:20; Revelation 13:8; Philippians 1:27; Revelation 21:27
- 4 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18; Romans 12:12; James 1:2–4; Philippians 3:1; Matthew 5:12
- 5 James 5:8–9; Matthew 6:25; Titus 3:2; Hebrews 10:37; 1 Peter 4:7
- 6 Proverbs 3:5–6; 1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:25–33; Psalm 55:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18
- 7 John 14:27; Isaiah 26:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Colossians 3:15; Psalm 29:11
- 8 James 3:17; Titus 2:7; Romans 12:9–21; 2 Corinthians 8:21; Galatians 5:22
- 9 James 1:22; 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8; Philippians 3:17; 2 Peter 1:10; John 13:17
- 10 2 Corinthians 11:9; Galatians 6:6; 2 Corinthians 7:6–7; Galatians 6:10; Philippians 1:3
- 11 1 Timothy 6:6–9; Hebrews 13:5–6; Matthew 6:31–34; Philippians 3:8; 2 Corinthians 9:8
- 12 Matthew 11:29; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10; 2 Corinthians 11:27; 2 Corinthians 11:9; 2 Corinthians 6:4–10
- 13 Isaiah 41:10; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Ephesians 6:10; Colossians 1:11; Isaiah 40:29–31
- 14 Hebrews 13:16; Philippians 1:7; Hebrews 10:34; Galatians 6:6; 1 Kings 8:18
- 15 Philippians 1:5; 2 Corinthians 11:8–12; 2 Corinthians 12:11–15; Acts 16:40–17:5
- 16 1 Thessalonians 2:9; Acts 17:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:18
- 17 Titus 3:14; Hebrews 6:10; 2 Corinthians 9:9–13; John 15:8; Titus 1:7
- 18 Hebrews 13:16; Philippians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 9:12; Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 2:25–26
- 19 2 Corinthians 9:8–11; Psalm 84:11; 1 Peter 5:10; 1 Timothy 6:17; Psalm 23:1–5
- 20 Romans 11:36; Psalm 115:1; Revelation 14:7; Revelation 7:12; Revelation 1:6
- 21 Galatians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 4:10–14; Romans 16:21–22; Philippians 1:1
- 22 Philippians 1:13; 2 Corinthians 13:13; Romans 16:16; 1 Peter 5:13; Hebrews 13:24
- 23 Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:14
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
"Blessed are they that mourn," and "woe unto them that laugh" (Matt. v. 4; Luke vi. 25.), saith Christ. How then saith Paul, "Rejoice in the Lord alway"? "Woe to them that laugh," said Christ, the laughter of this world which ariseth from the things which are present.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 13 (1889)
… the Levites shall have no part in the whole tribe of Levi, nor substance with Israel; their substance is the offerings (fructifications) of the Lord: these shall they eat." Wherefore also Paul says, "I do not seek after a gift, but I seek after fruit." To His disciples He said, who had a priesthood of the Lord, to whom it …
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Lo!
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
Heardest thou not what Paul saith, "Rejoice in the Lord?" He said not, "in the devil." When then wilt thou be able to hear Paul?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… the adversary, so likewise ye, after Holy Baptism and the Mystical Chrism, having put on the whole armour of the Holy Ghost, are to stand against the power of the adversary, and vanquish it, saying, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)